Physician visits after discharge
According to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change, and commissioned by the National Institute for Healthcare Reform, about one-third of hospitalized adults who are discharged into the community do not see a physician within 30 days.
The study, based on data from the national Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, found gaps in care after discharge are common for adults covered by all types of insurance. The study's coauthor, Anna Sommers, PhD, senior research analyst, The Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) says, "The implication is that reforms specific to one payer and focusing only on care processes within hospitals may fall short unless efforts to coordinate with community providers, and to encourage patients' access to these providers, receive at least as much attention."
Resource
- National Institute for Healthcare Reform: http://www.nihcr.org/Reducing_Readmissions.pdf.
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